(Q24022523)
Statements
SMITH. (English)
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Captain, 1837. f-p., 19; h-p., 15. (English)
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1 reference
Sir William Sidney Smith was born 21 June, 1764; and entered the Navy, in June, 1777, on board the Tortoise. Removing, in Jan. 1778, to the Unicorn 20, Capt. Ford, he assisted in that ship at the capture, after a close conflict of three hours, of the American frigate Raleigh of 32 guns. He served subsequently in the Arrogant, Capt. John Cleland, Sandwich 90, Capt. Wm. Young, and Cerberus frigate; and on 25 Sept. 1780 he was made Lieutenant by Admiral Rodney into the Alcide 74, Capt. C. Thompson. In the Sandwich he was present at the relief of Gibraltar, and in the engagement with Don Juan de Langara 16 Jan. 1780; and in the Alcide he fought in Rear-Admiral Graves’ action with M. du Barras off the Chesapeake 5 Sept. 1781, took part in the different skirmishes between Sir Sam, Hood and the Comte de Grasse off St. Christopher’s, and shared in the glories of 1 2 April, 1782. He was made Commander, 6 May, 1782, into the Fury sloop; and on 18 Oct. in the same year he was promoted to Post-rank in the Alcmène; which ship he brought home from the West Indies and paid off about Feb. 1784. In 1768, on the appearance of a rupture between Sweden and Russia, he entered into the service of the former power. So signal were the bravery and judgment he evinced in several encounters with the fleet of the Empress Catherine, that at the peace of Reichenback he was created by King Gustavus a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword, and, on his return to England, was invested by his own .. (English)
